Banbury care home residents knit for a good cause

Residents at a care home in Banbury have been busy creating knitted masterpieces for their local hospital.

Putting their knitting needles together for a good cause, residents at Care UK’s Highmarket House, on North Bar Place, joined forces with Banbury Community Knitting Group to create various pieces to be sent to John Radcliffe Hospital’s Support for the Sick Newborn and their Parents (SSNAP) unit.

Residents knitted baby blankets, hats and cardigans for the new arrivals, selecting pastel shades and making a range of sizes to fit all new-born stages. The items were then hand-delivered to nurses at the hospital to bring warmth, comfort and an extra touch of love to the babies and their families on the unit.

86-year-old Kathleen, a resident at Highmarket House, said: “I used to foster babies and I remember thinking how tiny they were and how important is it that they have hats and blankets to help them stay warm!

“I learned to knit before I even started school as both my grandmas used to knit – my grandma used to help me and whenever I dropped a stitch, she’d pretend to look for it under the table.”

Francesca Cowley, Home Manager at Highmarket House, added: “We’re incredibly proud of Kathleen, Bertha and Margo for all their hard work for such a great cause. 

“Crafts and other creative activities can promote positive wellbeing for older people in a variety of therapeutic ways, improving mental wellbeing and encouraging a sense of purpose. The ladies’ work for the hospital is invaluable, and we hope their knitted creations will be well-loved.

“We had the pleasure of dropping off the finished products to the hospital, and the entire team were very grateful for everyone’s efforts!”

Highmarket House is a state-of-the-art care home which provides full-time residential, nursing, dementia and short-term respite care. The care home incorporates space for hobby and leisure activities and includes its own cinema, hair salon and café.